Who We Are

Networks Northwest delivers programs and services for the 10 counties of Northwest Michigan. Our primary service categories are: workforce development; business & economic development; and community development. Networks Northwest is the convening agency for the Regional Prosperity Initiative in these ten counties.

News and Event Information

Networks Northwest delivers programs and services for the 10 counties of Northwest Michigan. Our primary service categories are: workforce development; business & economic development; and community development. Networks Northwest is the convening agency for the Regional Prosperity Initiative in these ten counties.

Rural Task Force (RTF) Program

The MDOT Rural Task Force Program provides federal & state dollars to rural counties in Michigan with a population under 400,000 (78/83 counties). These dollars must be spent in their geographic areas on eligible road and transit capital projects improvements.

MDOT provides two main sources of funding for the Local Rural Transportation Program:

Surface Transportation Program‐Rural (STL) - Federal

Transportation Economic Development Fund‐Category D (EDD) - State

Federal STL funds are used to preserve and improve the conditions and performance of federal‐aid highways and transit capital projects, including terminals and facilities. State EDD funds are designed to serve development and commerce by establishing and integrating a local secondary all‐season road network with the state trunkline system. All eligible projects must be located outside census designated urbanized boundaries.

Federal regulations require the development and consultation of a transportation planning process in non-metropolitan areas. This process managed by MDOT Planning, facilitated by Regional Planning Agencies, including Networks Northwest, and carried out by the twenty-two Rural Task Forces located across the state. Each task force is comprised of equal representation from the county road commission, cities and villages under 5,000 in population, rural transit provider, MDOT, and where applicable, Tribal government. The process delivers a financially constrained non-metropolitan program for inclusion in the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).

Project selection and public involvement begins through the local county level. This is an effective way to incorporate community land use planning objectives and achieve consensus regarding transportation decisions within the county. These county level meetings, held prior to the Rural Task Force meeting, include elected officials, regional planning and development agency, Indian tribal government(s), transit providers, cities/villages, interested parties and the general public. Please refer to the STATEWIDE GUIDELINES AND OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR RURAL FUNDING AND PLANNING COORDINATIONfor more information on the RTF process.

Public Meeting Notices
Public notices of both county‐level and full task force meetings are posted below. The notices include name of County or RTF, date, time, and location of the meeting per the requirements of the RTF oversight committee.